I am so inspired by the artisans at Etsy.com.  You can search ABC decoractions and find all sorts of adorable handmade products to purchase or use as a jumping board for your own creations! 
Recently I spotted this too cute for words "Now I Know My ABCs" mobile at MiChiMa's site on Etsy! 

Wow!  I am so excited!  I can not wait to get the Happiest Toddler on the Block DVD! 
Thank you all for your guidance!  I will let you know how it goes!!!

Thank you all for your help and taking the time to point me to these great sites!  They have already been a help!!!

I am also really choosey about what we purchase for our daughter and hands down (no pun intended)... Baby Signing Times and/or Signing Times (depending on your child's age-- infants through toddlers, maybe even young preschoolers will better enjoy Baby Signing Times).
We have been using these DVDs to learn ASL ourselves and to teach our daughter since she was about 4 months old.  About the same time we started she was able to sign for "milk" when she wanted to nurse!  After a great big fall when she was around 9 months, I began to nurse my daughter to comfort her... while she nursed I discussed with my mom whether we ought to bring her to the ER (being a new mom I feared some awful neurological damage)!  While we discussed what to do my baby signed that she was "happy"!  What a relief!!!  Obviously no serious damage done!!!  It definitely helps in preventing tantrums that would occur due to lack of communication skills!  One morning after my husband has left on a trip for work, my daughter woke up, pointed to his pillow and signed "Daddy"!  I was able to use sign as a vehicle for understanding that my daughter really felt Daddy's absence and I was able to share with her that I missed Daddy too but he loves us and would be home very soon!
When my daughter was about a year old she came into the kitchen and started roaring and then signed "lion"!  I asked her if she was pretending to be a lion and she giggled with delight... followed up by a few more roars! 

The music is enjoyable!  And it provides a multi-sensory approach... you hear the word and see it written, watch a demonstration of the word, use your body to communicate the word through ASL and sing a song incorporating the word, sign and any applicable actions (i.e. "jump"). 
I never feel guilty about letting my daughter watch Signing Times... and even though it holds her attention long enough for me to get a little work done... I usually find myself watching, singing and signing right along with her!!!

My daughter is now 21 months and has well over 100 signs in her vocabulary!  And now that she is using words to communicate she still signs right along!  An out-of-town friend of the family just recently met our daughter, she was so impressed and said "whatever you are doing, I have got to do when I have kids!  she is a genius!"  While I certainly took some enjoyment out of her comments, I had to be honest and say that, while my daughter is bright she is probably not a genius... she simply has the been given the tools to communicate at a very young age! 

Signing Times made my dream of teaching my daughter ASL a reality!  It is invaluable to my family!  And it's multi-sensory approach is sure to benefit any child's learning style!   

YBCR is very "home grown" in appearance.  For better or worse, it is not as snazzy or refined as other children's DVDs.  My daugter was not at all interested when I first purchased it at 15months... but now at 21 months she enjoys it (Although not as much as Signing Times.).  I have not "tested" her yet... but she does pay attention.  And it taught her "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes."  It is her new dance... if music comes on, no matter the song, she breaks out into "eyes and ears and mouth and nose..."!

Thank you all for the guidance!  The Baby Hands Dictionary is a real find!!! 

Yes... she has over 100 signs in her vocabulary.  And I whole-heartedly believe it has given us immeasurable help in stopping tantrums that would occur due to lack of communication.  She is an incredibley strong-willed child and can be single-minded in her desires so distracting her in situations like getting into the cart at the store when she does not want to can be very challenging. 

I have been using Signing Times with my daughter since she was around 5 months old.  Now that she is 21 months she has over 100 signs in her vocabulary.  I love the videos but I am looking for something from which I can learn and fill in the empty spots... Example: yesterday my daughter saw a worm and the park and signed "snake."  I know there are several different sites with online ASL dictionaries but I have heard that they are not all reliable/ accurate.  Can anyone reccommend a good site or other source of information?  It is our intention to continue signing with our daughter as a second language.  Thank you for the guidance!

We sign with our daughter and also show her Baby Signing Times DVDs, so she was signing at 15 months... but not doing much in the way of intelligible words.  My daughter's Nurse Practitioner told us that so long as she is babbling and pointing then she is communicating and so is on the right path.  Now at 21 months new words pop out of her mouth every day almost.  So I think they just work at their own pace.  You are obviously working to provide a stimulating environment that will foster your child's learning! 

Is anyone here a lawyer or have some un-official legal advice they are willing to share?  I create what I call photo illustrations.  I would love to offer the service to earn a little mad money.  But I want to do things by the book, so far as taxes are concerned.  I could offer the service completely digitally so that no physical product would exchange hands-- I don't know if this would impact taxes.  If anyone knows of a reliable user-friendly site where I can learn about this I would appreciate the help.  I don't anticipate becoming rich off my work and so I do not want to lay down a lot of money consulting with a lawyer before I know if this is even something I want to do. 
THANKS!

By education, I am a therapist.  However, I have done everything from waitressing, being a nanny, a mental health counselor, an activity director at a retirement home--which included managing a small store and beauty salon-- to teaching elementary art, just to name a few (but like alot of people, I've been working since I was 14)!  I have enjoyed aspects of all my jobs... but my favorite has been helping in the rearing of the two children for whom I served as nanny and being a stay-at-home mom to my daughter.  Although, what a misnomer that is... what mom gets to actually stay at home?!  We are on the go constantly!  Oh yeah... and being a wife... my grandmother assures me that, marriage counts as work too!

I agree... Dr.Sears "Vaccine Book" is a God-send!  So helpful not matter what viewpoint you begin with.  It is fair and even-handed.  Gives you truly helpful alternatives to the prescribed vaccination schedule.  If anyone has questions at all this book is a MUST!  It even gives tips on how to boost your child's immune system to avoid the common reactions from vaccinations.

Hello...
My husband and my parenting style would probably be most simmilar to Attachment Parenting.  This has worked out incredibley well for us thus far... BUT we are now entering the stage where tantrums are more frequent.  It may sound silly, but up until a few months ago I could look at my daughter when she was her emotions were out of proportion with the situation and say, "This is unacceptable.  You need to stop."  And for the most part, she would!  But this is not working so smoothly anymore.  How do I difuse situations like screaming, back arching, throwing the body about just because I need her to get into the cart at Target?  Please let me know what has worked for you all! 
Thanks so much! 

Hello, my user name is "Tornado" after my daughter!  She is such a whirlwind of activity!  My aunt teasingly (I hope told me that she prayed God would give me triplet boys-- God apparently heard her prayer but decided to wrap up all three boys in one pretty lil' package!  Oh, how she keeps us on our toes!  She adores books, words, etc..  I am really excited to learn more about BrillBaby and Little Reader to learn how they can help us continue to challenge her! 

Strap on a baby carrier and wear him down (as Dr. Sears terms it).  I use the Baby K'tan or the Ergo Baby Carrier.  Both provide great back support.  I have worn my daugther, now 20 months from birth, and it has proven to be so valuable.  She completely chills when worn (facing my chest).  I can even nurse in it!